Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Milligan pays $400 fine to Ethics Commission

Fox 16 is reporting that state Treasurer Dennis Milligan has written a personal check for $400 to settle four violations of state ethics rules, and that he is calling for an apology from the Jefferson County Republican Committee and the resignation of its leaders "who orchestrated this misguided effort."

The Republican committee called for Milligan to resign last June after Milligan hired a cousin, Sam Swayze, to work in the Treasurer's office. Milligan paid a fine of $1,000 for violating state nepotism rules in his hiring of Swayze. Among other things, the committee also cited campaign donations raised by staffers while they were working at their previous job for the American Cancer Society; the Ethics Commission found no violation there.

The state Ethics Commission ruled 4-0 that there was probable cause to find Milligan did not file in his campaign reporting in-kind contributions of graphic design from his son-in-law, Chad Brown; did not report in-kind contributions provided by Gary Underwood, now an employee in the state Treasurer's Office, for video editing services; that he did not report expenditures made by Jason Brady for Facebook advertising and that he did not provide information about the disposal of surplus campaign assets, including two printers, an iPad keyboard, a guitar, a hard drive and other "related items." Milligan has amended his reports to correct the omissions and has disposed of the assets.

Blue Hog blogger and lawyer Matt Campbell filed the complaints against Milligan with the Ethics Commission, which began its investigation last September. Milligan has asked the legislature to transfer $50,000 from his capital budget to cover his legal fees in a defamation lawsuit filed against him by a former employee.

More by Leslie Newell Peacock

Contrary to rumor, Live Life Chill, the bar/restaurant in the erstwhile Revolution Taco and Tequila Lounge space at the corner of Cantrell and President Clinton Avenue, is not closed. Service manager Lindsey McFadin called the Times this afternoon to say a rumor the bar had closed was killing business; by 3 p.m., no one had been in. The Times, too, had heard the rumor from a number of sources. What has changed, McFadin said, is that the bar is now only open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

M2 Gallery, located for 12 years in the Pleasant Ridge Shopping Center, has made the move to 1300 Main St. in the hopping SoMa neighborhood and will hold its Grand (Re)opening from 5-8 p.m. Nov. 30.

Under a settlement agreement filed in federal court today, Entergy Arkansas has agreed to quit burning coal at its White Bluff plant by the end of 2028, its Independence plant by the end of 2030 and to shutter its remaining operating plant at Lake Catherine by the end of 2027.

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Slideshows

Arkansas vs Ole Miss at War Memorial stadium in Little Rock, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. After leading for much of the game, Arkansas lost 37-33 when Ole Miss scored the game winning Touchdown with less that 2 minutes left.